When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it.

[Chaldfont]

Ok, tell me that the Maltese Falcon is not one of the best movies in history. I forgot how awesome this movie is. See it if you haven't. At least read the book.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

It's not.

Well, you did ask. You're right, of course.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

An NPC I created it totally based on the Fat Man.

 

[Mallus]

Who had one of the best names ever, Kasper Gutman. Though Lorre's character, Joel Cairo, ain't bad either.

 

[trancejeremy]

Yeah, one of those movies where everything hits on all cylinders. Great direction, great script/dialogue, great actors/acting. At the same time though, you wonder if it could have been better without the restrictions. Though I guess the movie probably wouldn't have made if the original hadn't been banned.

Actually, it's funny, I've never even seen the original. You'd think they show it on TV sometime.

 

[Chaldfont]

Though I guess the movie probably wouldn't have made if the original hadn't been banned.

You mean there's one that predates the Bogart movie?

 

[Chaldfont]

I love watching old movies like this with my wife. She gets really mad about how the women act. But I kept telling her to watch how Brigid is always trying to play Spade and how he knows she's doing it but still falls for it. She's a strong female character despite the limits put on women back then.

I still think the scene where she and Cairo meet in Spade's apartment is the best of the movie (where the thread title quote comes from). She pistol-whip's Cairo and then later tries to kick the crap out of him right in front of the cops!

 

[Pielorinho]

Maltese Falcon was made, IIRC, three different times before 1950. The Bogart version was the only memorable version.

And boy howdy! Until I saw this movie in my early twenties, I thought I didn't like B&W movies. Its dialogue is electric and, in the old-school meaning of the word, awesome.

It also gave me a mancrush on Humphrey Bogart. Man, that guy can act!

Daniel

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

You mean there's one that predates the Bogart movie?

According to wikipedia, which is never wrong...

The novel has been filmed three times, twice under its original title:

* The Maltese Falcon (1931), the first version, pre-Code production starring Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels
* Satan Met a Lady (1936), a light-comedy adaptation starring Bette Davis, with Sam Spade becoming "Ted Shane".
* The Maltese Falcon (1941) the third version, considered to be a film noir classic, starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet.

There have been many spoofs and sequels, including 1975's The Black Bird, a spoof sequel featuring George Segal as Sam Spade, Jr., and Elisha Cook Jr. and Lee Patrick reprising their roles from the 1941 version.

 

[Hand of Evil]

The first one has been on TCM, run back to back with the Bogart one.

Also, there is a DVD with all three on it! http://www.tcm.com/movienews/index/?cid=147593